Heating and cooling systems at various geographical locations are controlled by a central energy management service unit to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures. In some weather conditions, people may intuitively prefer a slightly warmer or cooler indoor temperature. In systems equipped with environmental learning capabilities, an apparent outdoor temperature is determined based on the geographic location itself, the season at the geographic location, the forecasted actual temperature, and one or more seasonal weather factors such as wind velocity or humidity. The apparent temperature and a trained machine learning system are used to select an automated schedule for the geographic location to be directly transmitted to devices at the location. The automated schedule can vary from typical schedules by causing the heating and cooling systems to maintain a temperature that is slightly warmer or cooler than typical indoor temperatures.

Methods, controllers, and the like are disclosed that can include determining an occurrence of an event (where the occurrence of the event is determined by a controller of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, and the HVAC system controls a temperature of air in an environment by controlling a setpoint temperature of conditioned air provided by the HVAC system to the environment). Such methods, controllers, and the like can further include, in response to a determination that the event has occurred, altering the temperature of the air in the environment by executing a sleep profile, where the sleep profile is executed by the controller and execution of the sleep profile adjusts the setpoint temperature as a function of time over a time period, such that the temperature of the air in the environment leads an occupant in the environment into a sleep state or a wakeful state.

A temperature regulating apparatus can comprise a housing, an intake fan, an outlet fan, and one or more canisters containing a pressurized cooling gas, such as carbon dioxide, freon, nitrogen, difluoroethane, trifluoroethane, or tetrafluoroethane, positioned within the housing. The inlet fan draws warm air from outside of the housing into the housing through vent openings formed in the housing. Cooling gas is released from the cannisters when a temperature sensing device detects the ambient temperature is above a predetermined desired temperature, and the outlet fan blows cooled air out of the housing through the vent openings, whereby the ambient temperature outside of the housing can be cooled to the predetermined desired temperature.

A controller device for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system may output, while in a first state, a first user interface for display at a display device, where the first user interface includes first information at a first output size. The controller device may determine, while in the first state and based at least in part on whether an elapsed time since a most recent indication of user input received at a user input device exceeds a timeout period, that no users are physically proximate to the controller device. The controller device may, in response: transition the controller device from the first state to a second state and output a second user interface at the display device, where the second user interface comprises second information at a second output size that is larger than the first output size.

The present disclosure presents techniques for improving operational efficiency of climate control systems. A climate control system may include climate control equipment, a sensor that measures temperature in a building, and a control system that controls operation of the equipment using a first temperature schedule, which associates each time step with a temperature setpoint, when the building is occupied. When not occupied, the control system determines an expected return time based on historical occupancy data associated with the building, determines the temperature setpoint associated with the expected return time, determines candidate schedules each expected to result in the inside air temperature meeting the temperature setpoint, determines efficiency metrics each associated with one of the candidates based on historical performance data resulting from previous operation of the climate control system, and controls operation of the equipment based on a second temperature schedule selected from the candidates based on associated efficiency metrics.

The present disclosure presents techniques for improving operational efficiency of climate control systems. A climate control system may include climate control equipment, a sensor that measures temperature in a building, and a control system that controls operation of the equipment using a first temperature schedule, which associates each time step with a temperature setpoint, when the building is occupied. When not occupied, the control system determines an expected return time based on historical occupancy data associated with the building, determines the temperature setpoint associated with the expected return time, determines candidate schedules each expected to result in the inside air temperature meeting the temperature setpoint, determines efficiency metrics each associated with one of the candidates based on historical performance data resulting from previous operation of the climate control system, and controls operation of the equipment based on a second temperature schedule selected from the candidates based on associated efficiency metrics.

An air circulation system includes an outlet tap having a pair of prong outlets receivable by a corresponding pair of electrical outlets of an electrical receptacle mounted to a vertical wall and positioned near a support surface, the outlet tap having at least two electrical outlets opposite the pair of prong outlets for providing electrical power from one or both of the electrical outlets of the electrical receptacle. A support member operatively connected to the outlet tap, the support member is adapted to suspendedly support a fan vertically above the support surface in response to the outlet tap being received by the electrical receptacle. A timer and a humidistat are connectable to corresponding electrical outlets of the at least two electrical outlets of the outlet tap for selectively controlling operation of the fan.

A communication kit comprising a communication module configured to communicate with a thermostat, an indoor unit, and an outdoor unit; and a controller configured to generate an operation signal to be transmitted to the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, based on a signal received from the thermostat, wherein the controller is configured to determine an operation mode of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit based on an indoor temperature when a backup function of the thermostat is executed.

A communication kit comprising a communication module configured to communicate with a thermostat, an indoor unit, and an outdoor unit; and a controller configured to generate an operation signal to be transmitted to the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, based on a signal received from the thermostat, wherein the controller is configured to determine an operation mode of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit based on an indoor temperature when a backup function of the thermostat is executed.

An air conditioner and a method for controlling an air conditioner are provided. The air conditioner may include a case that forms a space therein with an open lower side; a panel that is disposed at lower side of the case, and has an inlet and a plurality of outlets disposed around the inlet; a fan that is disposed in the case; a plurality of wind adjuster that is disposed in each of the plurality of outlets, and adjusts a direction of air flowing through each of the plurality of outlets; a camera that obtains an image of an indoor space; and a controller that controls the plurality of wind adjusters based on image information obtained from the camera. The controller may divide the plurality of outlets into a first area outlet and a second area outlet, and adjust each of the plurality of wind adjusters so that airflows of air discharged through the first area outlet and airflows of air discharged through the second area outlet are formed differently.